My Heart Took Flight
by samus18
Summary: What life might have been like for Leodore and Dawn during their younger years. Rating for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

My Heart Took Flight

He liked her.

She was different from the other girls in school, and Leodore was nothing if not particular in his taste in women (or friends, for that matter.) Though he carried the invisible label of "most popular guy in school," he was not your typical jock - and yet neither was he the stereotypical prep type, either. He excelled in gym class, which earned him much respect from the guys, and many female admirers. Yet, unlike many of the guys in school who were athletically proficient, he also enjoyed an abundance of intellect. His grades were perfect. He worked hard in all that he did.

Not to say that Leodore never went to his share of parties or over-indulged, but his slip-ups were few and forgivable, especially considering his academic standing. He was quick to own up to responsibility, and quick to remedy his wrongs. He was loved by teachers and students alike. Family and friends never had anything but the highest hopes for him.

People often said about him that although he wasn't perfect, he was the closest thing there was to it. Even the wallflowers and the shy students liked him. On more than one occasion, he was found sticking up for a student who was being bullied. Leodore couldn't stand bullies. His parents were strict, but they raised him to be kind, civil, polite, and to stand up for the weak.

"You have something that not everyone has, son," his father had once told him. "As a lion, you were born with strength and prowess." He had looked at Leodore then with all due seriousness. "Never forget, that as the stronger animals, it's our responsibility to help protect the weak. Strength is nothing if you only use it to your benefit."

Leodore never forgot those words, and as such, he stuck true to them and was a defender of the weak throughout the school halls. His father had taught him humility, and he had a great respect for it.

Many of the girls had a crush on him (primarily predators), and those that didn't admired his academic prowess. He could have had his pick of any girl, and he knew it - but Leodore never entered into a relationship with any of them. In fact, he rarely ever spoke of his "love life," and when he did it was only to his closest friends.

Leodore was an open book, for the most part, but when it came to the topic of relationships, he trusted only his best friend - a leopard named William.

William was a senior in high school just like him. He'd known him since grade school, and they did everything together. William was a good predator - loyal, trustworthy, supportive, and fun-loving. He'd always been there for Leodore when he needed him, even when his other 'friends' hadn't been. He wasn't a fair-weather friend, and that's what Leodore liked most about him. He knew he could tell the leopard anything, that he would stick by him through thick and thin.

In junior high, when Leodore had scored a "C" on a science test, his parents had berated him endlessly. They couldn't believe that their only son - their "star pupil" - had earned anything less than a "B," and had come down on him so hard for it. Needless to say, Leodore came from a long line of successful lions, so the pressure ran high in his home to excel in all that he did.

He never forgot how William had cheered him up the next day, when he told him about his parents' reaction to his grade.

"Don't worry about them," he'd said. "Parents always get weird when you don't get a perfect grade on a test. Like it's the end of the world or something."

" _Your_ parents don't freak out when you get a bad grade," Leodore said, chin in his hands.

"That's cause they have plenty of other things to freak out about." He put a paw on Leodore's shoulder. "Don't worry - I mean it. You're a great student. Even great students get average grades sometimes!"

Leodore smiled. "I guess so." He looked at his friend. "Thanks."

Presently, Leodore stood in front of his locker. He removed a textbook for his next class, but his mind wandered to other things.

That girl had been on his mind lately - had been for a while, in fact - and it was growing increasingly hard to ignore. Whenever she passed him in the hall, chattering happily with one or two friends, his heart skipped a beat and he would turn the other way.

He'd never gone through anything like this in junior high. Well, he had had a crush on a tigress in junior high, but it died quickly when he found out that she looked down on other students (she'd been a popular girl, but had used her popularity to hurt those she considered lower than her, rather than help them.)

This girl was everything the tigress wasn't. She was kind, lively, sometimes shy, but abundantly smart. He hadn't noticed her during his first year in high school, not truly. But she'd shared several classes with him throughout their high school years and - though he never took the opportunity to get to know her personally - had come to know her through their interactions in class. He'd seen so much humility in her, so much mercy, compassion, and grace. Traits he admired greatly, but so rarely came across in an animal. And she was smart. Exceedingly smart. In fact, had it not been for her diminutive size, she probably would have been his equal as far as status went. Her grades were as good as his, but unlike him, she was small and frail. He never had gym class with her, but one didn't need to sit in on a class with the small animal to guess how she fared in that area of expertise. It didn't really matter; her smarts made up for her lack of physical prowess.

Leodore wasn't sure at what point he'd developed a crush on her. It could have been during the day when he found his mind wandering, uncharacteristically, during class. Instead of paying attention to the lecture, he was imagining that small, sweet face. Or perhaps it was during the night when he would try to fall asleep, and images unbidden would come to him of that girl walking the halls, hugging books to her chest, a cheerful smile on her face.

At some point he had admitted to himself that he had a crush on her.

The revelation scared him somewhat, as they were a different species, and a relationship between the two might be awkward to say the least. Not that she knew that he liked her.

Still, what would animals think? What would his parents say? Would his status at school changed, if anyone ever found out?

He'd tried talking himself out of his crush, tried willing himself to see her in a different light. He'd racked his mind searching for any and all fault he could find with her, and forced himself to focus on it.

Nothing worked.

For these reasons, he kept his feelings to himself, neglecting to tell even William.

But one day, he dared to approach the subject of romance to his friend during lunch at school.

Not wanting to be overheard by anyone, Leodore suggested they sit outside on the bench instead of in the noisy cafeteria.

Leodore decided for certain that he wouldn't tell William about his crush; that he would only ask about his view on relationships in general.

They'd chatted for a little while, and finished their lunch before Leodore finally dared to bring up the topic.

"Who do you like?"

"Who do I like?" The leopard repeated, after sipping a soda.

"Yeah, you know - who do you have a crush on?"

Will shrugged a shoulder. "I think Angela's kinda cute." Angela was a timber wolf who shared one of Leodore's classes. She was a well-liked student; smart, kind, easy-going.

Leodore nodded with a small smile. He felt some relief in the fact that Will was able to admit he was attracted to someone outside his species. But it still wasn't on caliber with Leodore's dilemma. He not only was attracted to someone outside his species, but to someone outside of his class altogether. He was a predator, and she was prey.

He sat there in silence for a moment, nearly reconsidering his decision not to tell Will about the girl. But Will shot the question back at him: "Who do _you_ like?"

The name flitted through his mind, for it never really left it.

 _Dawn_.

"Um...not really sure." He shrugged apologetically. "I guess Gina's kinda pretty."

Will tossed his can into the trash. "You don't _like_ anyone, though?"

"Well, I do, but…"

The bell rang, and Leodore sprinted up and grabbed his backpack, extremely thankful for the timely interruption.

He'd never lie to Will, but neither was he ready to tell him the truth.

He meandered through his classes for the rest of the day like a ghost, finding it hard to concentrate on classes. He shook his head, trying to keep his focus in check, knowing that he couldn't slack off, not if he wanted to keep his grades well polished.

By the end of the day, he sat in his last class - one he shared with the sheep. He willed himself not to glance her way as she sat primly at her desk, taking notes when needed, but otherwise keeping her full attention on the teacher. Leodore did the same as best he could. He couldn't afford to let his focus waver, not when the year was going so well. He fully intended to graduate at the top of his class, but his heavy crush on this girl wasn't making it easy.

It was then that he decided that maybe it would be best to brave an encounter with her and tell her how he felt. It struck him as insane at first, but deep down he knew that he would never be able to regain focus unless he confronted the object of his affection.

He glanced at her again. She remained as focused and docile as ever, adjusting her specs and eagerly scrawling her pen across her notebook. He felt nervous just thinking about telling her.

In fact, it was several days before he was able to muster up the courage to go forth with his plan. And luckily for him, the opportunity presented itself to him in the form of Daryl - a somewhat belligerent wolf who would have been considered a bully, had it not been for Leodores' presence. Bullying still occurred in the school, but what few there were were smart enough to do it away from the lions' presence, knowing he would never stand for a thing like that.

Leodore was making his way to the cafeteria when he heard a voice coming from the other hall.

"Stop it, Daryl!"

He nearly froze in his tracks - it was Dawn.

Quickly he turned the corner and met with an unsettling scene. Daryl had Dawn's tiny wrist in his hand, her other pushing on it trying to get him to back off. They both froze when they saw him.

Frowning, he strode up to Daryl, shoving his muzzle right up to his face.

"What do you think you're doing?" Leodore growled.

Daryl, though he often yielded to the lions' authority, didn't back down so easily. "I left my money at home," he said, matching Leodore's frown with one of his own.

"So? Why should Dawn have to pay for your mistake? Let her go." He didn't raise his voice, but kept it steady and dangerously low.

Daryl stared at him for a full five seconds before releasing her wrist. "Fine," he barked. "Stand up for your little girlfriend all you want - I don't _care._ "

Leodore's throat tightened at the word "girlfriend." He turned his attention to Dawn, who stood there slightly stunned and rubbing at her wrist.

"Thank you," she said.

"It's nothing," he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. He watched her as she bent down to pick up a book she'd dropped.

Every second felt like a minute as he stood there, unable to follow through with his intent to talk to her. But it was now or never, and Leodore Lionheart was no coward.

He thought it might be a good idea to start on something they both had in common, and the first thing that came to mind was Daryl.

"Does he usually give you a hard time?" He asked.

"Sometimes," she said with a nervous smile. Then, lowering her voice as if she were sharing a secret, "I don't think he really forgets his money, though. He's come after me before, but _after_ he's had lunch. I think he just wants extra money so he can keep buying those Flockstar energy drinks." She giggled nervously.

He shared with a half-hearted laugh of his own. They stood there staring at each other, Dawn with a disarming smile, and he with a nervous grin.

In an effort to keep the conversation going, he offered, awkwardly, "If you ever have trouble with that guy again, just let me know."

The smile disappeared from her face, and she now regarded him with subtle surprise. "That's...very kind of you…"

Sensing her discomfort, he quickly added, "I mean if you don't want me too I'll understand -"

"Oh it's not that, it's only...I mean…" She faltered. "I'm a little surprised that a...that is...someone like you would go out of your way for...you know, someone like me." She shifted uneasily on her hooves, and he could tell that she was now as nervous as he was.

"Someone like me?" He couldn't help repeating.

She nodded; her eyes had grown wide. "Yeah, y'know - someone as popular as you."

He let out the subtlest sigh of relief. "Oh." He smiled. "I'm not like the other guys, Dawn. I can't stand bullying."

The smile returned to her sweet face, and she clutched her books tightly to her chest. "That's always good to hear."

They shared an awkward laugh, and the silence returned.

Leodore's heart beat wildly in his chest as he realized that now was his chance.

"Dawn...I was wondering…"

She stared at him, waiting patiently for him to continue.

He sucked in a breath and mustered up some courage. ' _Just do it_ ,' he told himself. "I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out with me sometime." There. He'd done it.

Dawn blinked, clearly not expecting to be asked out by the most popular guy in school - and a _predator_ , no less.

"I…" She faltered again, reaching a hoof up to adjust her glasses. Books nearly sliding out of her arms, she quickly caught them and said, "Sure...that sounds nice."

Leodore's heart took flight, and it was all he could do to fist-pump the air in glee. Instead, he smiled and said, "Great! How does this Saturday work? Do you like pizza?"

She nodded. "Sure. And Saturday would be great."

They exchanged numbers, Leodore's heart dancing with joy, and parted ways to head to their next class. So thrilled was he that he hadn't even noticed the slightest trace of worry on Dawn's face.

 **A/N** : I wanted to portray sympathy both for Leodore and Dawn in this story. Everyone's got a past, and I figured that both he and Dawn had probably gone through some rough times prior to the movie. I also thought it would be interesting to suggest that his ill-treatment of her in the movie was based off of more than just her being a meek sheep, or even his ego.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Dawn was in something of a trance as she rode the bus home that day.

She couldn't believe Leodore Lionheart - _the_ Leodore Lionheart, most popular boy in school - had asked her out. It was the last thing she'd expected, and though she supposed she ought to count herself lucky (after all, the girls all adored him), she couldn't help feeling a trifle strange about it, too. As far as she knew, he'd never noticed her or had shown any interest in her before. Why was he showing it now?

...Maybe he _had_ noticed her and just never mustered up the courage to talk to her until now.

Truth be told, this unexpected turn of events was only part of her problem. The real trouble was going to be telling her parents. For perhaps the first time since grade school, Dawn was dreading coming home from school.

She was a star student by nature, excelling in just about every subject she took. That all started in junior high, for she'd never really enjoyed grade school, having been the target of bullying and harassment for most of her life. Not that junior high had been much better, but the students at least found ways of tormenting her that were less...outright. But other than that, she thoroughly enjoyed her classes. She loved learning, loved putting her mind to a challenge and pushing herself beyond her limits. Her parents had high hopes for her. Her parents...well, that was to be expected.

She came from a lower middle-class family with a decidedly unimpressive history (including financial history.) Her father, John, was an assistant manager at Claw Mart, a local retail store, and her mother Abigail earned a living by cleaning houses. Because Dawn earned such good grades and had shown herself to be a model student, her parents were certain that she'd be successful in life and desired a future for her that was brighter than their own.

...As to how they would take the news of her going out on a date with a predator, she had no idea. Her parents weren't prejudiced people, but it remained an uncomfortable fact that most if not all of their family hardship was delivered at the hands of predators. Dawn could never understand if it was because predators were bullies, or if it was just coincidence. After all, she'd known some kind predators throughout her life. But she and her family had never been mistreated by prey before.

Her father's boss, a jaguar by the name of Felix Fangley, was hard on him, constantly piling his workload and berating him whenever John couldn't finish his assignments on time. It was the tip of the iceberg, but John refused to complain too much about it. She knew, because she had gone to Claw Mart once while he was working. She'd wanted to pick up a few things for dinner, and maybe catch her dad to say a quick hello. Her heart sank when she heard a loud voice, and cautiously stepped out of the aisle to see Mr. Fangley shouting at her father. She'd been unsure as to how she should react, couldn't even move from her spot as her father turned to face her, a look of slight surprise on his face. She'd snapped out of her trance and approached him.

"Daddy," she said, "how can you let Mr. Fangley treat you like that?"

"Never mind, sweetheart. He's just stressed, he tends to lash out when the DM's come down on his head."

"But he yelled at you - in _front_ of people!"

"Dawn, sweetie...sometimes dealing with belligerent bosses is part of working in retail." He bent down and lifted a small box from their new shipment. "There's good days and there's bad days." He looked at her. "I'm sorry you had to see that...but don't let it bother you, ok? Come here." He reached out and arm and she gave him a quick hug. "Chin up, Sweetie. I'll see you and mom tonight after work."

Her father always took things so well. He was always trying to look at the bright side of things, always attempted to find the good in people, and she admired him greatly for it. She wished she could be more like him, but try as she might, she found it hard to find good in any animal that could be so cruel to her father. It just wasn't fair...it wasn't _right_.

He'd had his work hours cut short before, too - which, as an assistant manager, was almost unheard of, and for a while John feared that he might be laid off. He'd said that it was because a friend of Fangley's was looking for a managerial position, and Fangley wanted to help his friend out by hiring him as a temp. Her father had been so civil about the whole thing, not even mentioning whether his boss's friend was predator or prey.

This was several months after Dawn had witnessed her father being mistreated, and when she found out that Mr. Fangley had hired his friend as a temp, she'd casually made a trip to the store to get a look at this person. It was naughty of her to make an undercover visit just to see if the new person was a predator, and she knew it. But somehow she felt she had to find out if her father was being unjustly pushed aside, even if it _was_ temporary.

She never found out for certain, though she heavily suspected that said new person was a coyote she had seen chatting with Mr. Fangley.

That happened more than a year ago.

XXX

After getting home, greeting her mother, and starting on a snack, Dawn decided that she would tell her parents about Leodore over dinner.

It wasn't so much her parents' opinion on predators that worried her, but the fact that she was dating one. Well, had been asked out on a single date with one. Inter-species relationships was a topic she'd never brought up before, and for that matter neither had her parents. She wasn't at all sure how they'd react.

So many things swam around in her mind, mostly concerning her parents, that she never stopped to think about her own feelings toward Leodore.

Truth be told, she had none toward him, but that's what dating was for - to try and get to know a person, see if you got along with them, to give things a chance to grow between them. Dawn had never really thought much about Leodore, but since he'd asked her out, she found herself thinking about him more than she ever had before, wondering about him.

She knew that he was popular, got good grades, and was really good in gym class. He was outgoing and social, and quick to answer questions and participate in class debates. Very unlike herself who, though she was sweet and smart, was more the shy type who only sometimes raised her hand in class, and took part in debates with excessive knowledge, as opposed to excessive volume.

As for what he said about being against bullying, it was something she could greatly appreciate. As someone who's never been a stranger to bullying, it wasn't hard to see why she appreciated someone who went out of their way to stand up for the weak. She'd heard rumors about Leodore's good character throughout the school, but had never personally witnessed it until he had stood up for her against Daryl. It was a revelation to see his kind heart put to good use in front of her eyes, and even in spite of the stories she'd heard, she still couldn't help but feel surprised that he'd defended _her_. No one ever did that - not truly.

'Maybe this Leodore isn't such a bad guy,' she thought as she sat in her room, staring at a half-written sheet of paper, pencil tapping lightly against her mouth.

It'd been hard for her to concentrate on things ever since he'd asked her out. After about twenty minutes, she gave up trying to finish her literature essay and got up from her bed. She walked over to her window and stared out at the quaint apartment buildings that lined her neighborhood. Although her parents didn't make a ton of money, they were fortunate enough to be able to afford a place in a safe, clean part of the city.

She leaned her elbows on the sill and stared at a couple of rabbits playing hopscotch with a raccoon. She thought of Leodore, and of what Saturday might bring. Was he seriously interested in her, or was it just a fleeting fancy? What if this was all just a prank and he intended to humiliate her? Her heart skipped a beat at the thought, before she remembered that doing so would be contrary to his character. She didn't know him that well, but nothing she'd ever heard or seen from him suggested that he was the type to pull a cruel stunt like that. And didn't he tell her himself that he couldn't stand bullies?

She relaxed at the thought and shook her head. 'I'll just have to wait and see how Saturday goes!' She left off thoughts of Leodore and telling her parents for the time being, determined to re-focus her attention on her schoolwork. It wouldn't do to throw away all that hard work just because of a distraction.

XXX

Come six o'clock, Dawn assisted her mother with dinner preparation.

"You seem distracted this evening," her mother gently observed. Her daughter was a fair hand at cooking, but her dicing of the vegetables was slow and sloppy; very unlike her.

"Well mom, there's something I'd like to tell you and daddy over dinner." She offered what she hoped was a cheerful smile, but she was nervous.

"Oh? What about?"

"Oh, you'll find out." She smiled again, this time reassuringly, and carried the silverware to the table.

John got home not long afterwards. "Hi everyone," he greeted in a tired but happy voice. "How's my family? Mmm, sure smells good in here."

Abigail glanced at her husband. "It's vegetable terrine, sweet."

"Wow, we haven't had that in a while - I can't wait! Lemme get out of my uniform." He left to change and get refreshed from a long day at work.

Abigail had tried getting clues out of her daughter as to what she wanted to talk to them about, but Dawn kept insisting they would both find out at dinner.

When all was ready and set out before the table, John arrived just as Abigail set down the main course: a beautifully prepared vegetable terrine.

"It looks amazing, dear." He set a napkin in his lap, and after they said grace, prepared to eat.

"Now," Abigail said. "Dawn has something she wants to tell us."

"Oh? What is it?" They stared expectantly at their daughter.

Dawn paused, and forced herself to swallow the small bite of terrine. She stared at her parents. "Well…" She took a long sip from her glass. "It's...kinda big."

They exchanged glances. "I hope it's big in a _good_ way," John said.

"It is!" 'At least, I hope it is,' she thought, then said out loud, "Well, you won't believe this, but...you know Leodore from the debate team?"

"Leodore," Abigail mused. "He's that lion, right? We saw him at one of the soccer games?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"What about him?" John asked, taking a bite.

"Well, something interesting happened. He...he asked me out today…"

They stopped eating, and silence reigned.

Then, to Dawn's relief, they appeared pleasantly surprised rather than outraged or offended.

"So someone's asked you out on a date, huh?" Her mom broke out into a giddy smile. "What do you know...My baby's growing up!"

"Congrats, dear," John said, then added, "just make sure that boy minds his manners. I won't stand for anyone treating our little lamb like anything less than a lady."

"Daddy, I'm not a lamb anymore."

"You still call me 'daddy'."

She chuckled. "I'll always call you daddy."

"When are you gonna get together with him?" Abigail asked.

"This Saturday. We're going for pizza."

"I'm happy for you, Dawn." Abigail smiled. "It'll be good for you to get out; you do spend too much time reading and studying."

"I spend plenty of time with April," she said matter-of-factly. April was a pretty young doe who was a grade below Dawn, and considered a best friend to the sheep.

"I meant with boys."

"Don't encourage her too much, Abi,"John said. "She has plenty of time to associate with boys."

Abigail smiled knowingly, and glanced at her daughter. "Typical protective father."

"Ohh." John picked at his dinner, but the corners of his mouth twitched in a smile. Dawn was their only child, so they were naturally very protective of her.

"Well, two more days. That'll be exciting." Her mother was happy for her, and Dawn felt the beginnings of actual, stress-free excitement growing in her as well. She was happy that her parents weren't upset with her for agreeing to go out with Leodore, and felt much better now that she'd told them.

Even though she hardly knew him, she began to actually look forward to her date with him.

 **A/N** : I wasn't sure how I wanted to depict Dawn's parents, but ultimately decided against stereotypes - I wanted to play around with the idea that just because Dawn is a villain in Zootopia does not necessarily mean that her parents were prejudiced or even that they put the whole "predator-hating" idea into Dawn's head. I'm aiming more for the idea that it's a notion she developed on her own, through unfortunate circumstances. People can make wrong choices without having to come from messed up families (well, messed up in a criminal sense.)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Leodore looked himself over in the mirror for a brief moment before heading downstairs. It was Saturday, and he'd texted Dawn to coordinate a pickup time.

He caught his father heading out the door. "Where you going, dad?"

"I need to head in to the office, I just got a call."

Leodore made a face. "But it's Saturday."

"I know, but it's urgent - Terrance told me it couldn't wait." He checked his phone, slipped it into his pocket, and paused to regard his son. "What time are you going to pick up that girl?"

"Twelve-thirty, and her name is _Dawn_ , dad."

Alastair straightened his tie, a light frown plastered over his noble features. "We'll talk about this later, Leodore."

Leodore paused at the mention of his name. His dad never called him that unless he was upset about something. "What, I'm not ' _Leo_ ' today?" He couldn't help calling out as his dad headed to the car. "What is it _this_ time, dad?"

Alastair only waved a paw. "We'll talk about it later, son." He shut the car door and started the engine.

Leodore backed into the house and shut the door as well, a little harder than he meant to. Tanya, his mother, walked into the foyer. "Who slammed the door?"

" _I_ did, mom." He turned to her. "Do you know what dad's all upset about?"

Tanya pursed her mouth. "I have an idea…"

He spread his paws out. "Well what is it?"

"I think he might be a little upset about your date with Dawn."

The confusion on his face thickened. "Why would he be upset about _that?_ "

She sighed; this wasn't an easy thing to break to her son. "Leo, your father's a good lion. But you know how he is...sometimes he gets a little fixated on his standards."

"So he doesn't think Dawn is good enough for me?" He tried keeping his temper in check, but it was all he could do not to tear his growing mane right out of his head.

"Your father's always wanted you to do well in life, and…" She faltered, searching for the right words. "Well, that happens to include your choice in who you date, but -"

"That's so stupid! Why should who I date matter at all to him? What does me going out with Dawn have to do with my success?"

"Calm down, Leo. I've had a talk with your father about this." She kept her voice calm, but put on the all-dreaded "I'm the parent, here" look.

Before she could continue, he asked, "Do _you_ have a problem with me dating her?"

"I don't have a problem with it at all. Leo, it's your choice who you decide to take out on dates - not your father's. He's just always hoped that you'd stick to dating girls who are more... _well off_."

His shoulders sagged. "Mom, I know Dawn isn't from a rich family or anything, but I still don't see why it's bothering dad!"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Leo, like I said, I had a talk with him, but he can be a stubborn guy."

"What am I supposed to do? I don't want dad upset with me, but I'm not gonna back out on my date with Dawn just 'cause dad's got some crazy idea that I can only date rich girls."

"He can't pick your girlfriends for you, but...understand that he just might not be too happy about it." She put a paw on his shoulder. "He may come around eventually. Tell you what - if you really like this girl, why not invite her over for dinner? It'll give him a chance to get to know her and attach some character to her, instead of just focusing on her financial situation."

Leodore mulled this over, a thoughtful frown plastered over his face. Then he nodded. "Yeah, alright. But it's only my first date with this girl - I don't wanna scare her away by introducing her to you guys too fast."

She raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, sweetie."

"I didn't mean it like that." He checked the time on his phone. "K, I have fifteen minutes - might as well go get her."

"Don't worry about your father," she said as he headed out the door. "You just enjoy your time out with this girl!"

"I will mom - thanks!" He hopped into his car and started off.

XXX

It was a beautiful spring day in Zootopia, refreshingly warm with a light breeze. Leodore leaned back in his convertible, enjoying the feel of the fresh air. It wasn't a long drive to Dawn's house, but Saturday afternoon traffic made it feel like ages. When you lived in the heart of the city, even a five minute drive could feel like forever. After turning down a few roads that led away from the hustle and bustle and into the milder neighborhood vicinity, he felt his heart beat fast as he drew nearer to her house.

She'd told him over text that her parents insisted on meeting him before he took her out, and he'd agreed to it. He wasn't aware of how nerve-racking a situation it would be, however, as he pulled up by the curb in front of her house. He was five minutes early, and so took a moment to observe her abode.

She lived in a quaint apartment building in an average-nice neighborhood. It had four windows, two on the upper floor and two on the first. The two on the first floor boasted an array of vibrant daisies, probably planted by Dawn's mother. Their lawn was well-kept and adorned with a few decorations - a rabbit statue here, a lamb figurine there. His nerves settled somewhat at the sight of the sweet-looking home. Surely her parents had to be nice people to dress up a home like this.

'Well, here goes,' he thought, taking a deep breath and opening the door to his car.

He walked down the short path to the front door and rang the bell. A moment later, he was greeted by Dawn's smiling face. "Hi!"

"Hi," he said, admiring her attire. She was wearing a pale lavender blouse and white skirt. She'd even put on a pale gold necklace and a bracelet. He'd never seen her wear jewelry before, and was momentarily stunned. "You look really nice," he stammered.

"Thank you," she smiled shyly, and then stepped aside. "Please, come in!"

He stepped inside, and she closed the door. Before he could think of anything to say, she beckoned him to follow her. "My parents are in the kitchen."

As she led the way, he casually observed the inside of her house, a bit taken aback by how small it was.

Leodore had never known poverty. He grew up in a very well-to-do home, with plenty of spacious rooms, long hallways, huge kitchens, and maids that came and cleaned the house once a week. A few of his close friends, including William, lived in more humble homes, but he'd never been inside a house as small as Dawn's. It was well-lit for being that it only had four windows, and the walls were plastered with pale yellow and blue striped wallpaper. The furniture was humble and scant, their television set small. He wasn't sure what to make of such a huge difference between his world and hers, and was uncomfortably aware of the difference between his house and hers.

"Mom, dad...I'd like you to meet Leodore." Her voice snapped him back to attention.

Mr. and Mrs. Bellwether sat at the kitchen table, Mr. Bellwether with a newspaper in hand, and Mrs. Bellwether looking through a garden magazine.

"Leodore, these are my parents," Dawn introduced them.

Mr. Bellwether got up from his chair and extended his hoof out to Leodore. "So this is the famous Leodore - Dawn's told us a lot about you."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Bellwether." He shook his hoof and smiled politely, then turned to Mrs. Bellwether.

"We're so glad you could stop by," she said, shaking his hand as well. "It's wonderful that Dawn's made a new friend. We're hoping you can encourage her to get out more often," she said with a hopeful smile.

"Mom!" Dawn said under her breath.

"So which restaurant are you two hitting?" Mr. Bellwether asked.

"We were thinking of Paulie's Pantry," Leodore said.

"Good choice - they make great salads."

"Well, we won't take up your afternoon," Mrs. Bellwether said. "We just wanted to say hi, and thank you for taking our daughter out. You two go off and have a great time. It was nice meeting you, Leodore!"

"Nice meeting you too, Mr. and Mrs. Bellwether. Thanks for letting me take her out." He and Dawn waved, and they left after saying their quick goodbyes.

As they made their way to his car, Dawn looked up at him. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Not at all - your parents are really nice." He opened the car door for her, and she hopped in, resting her small purse in her lap.

"Nice car," she marveled, observing the interior.

"Thanks. I had to beg my dad for nearly a month before he'd let me get it!"

"Oh it's a beauty, to be sure."

He started the car. "You ever been to Paulie's?"

She smiled. "Only once."

Paulie's Pantry was a little out of her family's budget. The only time they'd ever gone was for Father's Day one year, when Abigail had come into a little more money than usual cleaning a friend's house. Her friend insisted on paying Abigail a seasonal bonus, and when she refused the first time, she'd slipped it into Abigail's coat without Abigail noticing. She'd saved the money until she felt the right time to use it came along.

Dawn remembered that day. Her father had worked a particularly hard shift, and had been treated none-too-kindly. She'd made him a Father's Day card, had even made him breakfast in bed before he'd headed off to work. While he was gone, her mother asked her if she'd like to surprise her father with an outing to Paulie's Pantry, and that's what they ended up doing that Father's Day evening years ago.

Dawn never forgot the experience, sitting in a restaurant as nice as that one, eating the delicious food, having animals wait on you. It had been a wonderful treat for her father, too, who had soon been distracted from his hard day at work.

Leodore's voice snapped her out of her reverie. "Is Paulie's ok? We can go somewhere else if you want?"

"Oh, Paulie's is fine," she looked at him with wide-eyes. "If you're sure it won't be too expensive?" She knew he was well off, but wasn't too comfortable taking advantage of his wealth. She always did find it hard to ask people for things.

"Not at all!" He smiled. "Alright, Paulie's it is! They have this new pizza on the menu I've been wanting to try."

It didn't take them long to reach the restaurant. Parking was a hassle, but soon remedied, and they made their way inside.

"Two please," Leodore told the hippo at the front desk, and they followed him to a booth for two in the corner of the restaurant.

"Oh, sir," Dawn addressed the hippo. "May I ask for a seat, please?"

"Of course, ma'am." The hippo disappeared and then promptly returned with a booster seat.

She thanked him and lifted herself onto the seat. "Much better." She smiled, a little embarrassed at needing the assistance of a booster seat in order to see Leodore over the table.

He sensed her embarrassment, and in an attempt to dispel any discomfort on her part, said, "I'm sure glad they have seats like those. It'd be a waste not to see that pretty face of yours."

She smiled and nervously smoothed out her blouse. "Well that's...that's very kind of you to say, Leodore."

"You can call me Leo. It's what all my friends call me."

"Alright...Leo." She paused. "Um, listen...I want to thank you for inviting me here with you, it's...it's very kind."

He smiled nervously, and rubbed the back of his mane. "Well...truth be told, I've been trying to find the courage to ask you out for some time."

She blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting this. "You have?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "I wasn't sure you'd want to go out with me. But I'm sure glad I ended up asking."

Her ears lowered in humble thanks. "Yeah...me too, Leo."

The rest of the day was spent in casual conversation.

Leodore told Dawn about his parents (refraining from telling her about his father's opinion on what kind of girls he dated), about his rough times in junior high. He told her about William, about how he considered the Leopard his only true friend.

"He's a great guy," Leodore mused. "He likes me for who I am - not what I have."

Dawn set her fork down, regarding him with compassion. "That must be tough, Leo."

"It is," he acknowledged. There was a pause before he said, "People think it's so great to be rich, but they don't really know what it's like. Yeah, you can eat whatever you want, and buy just about anything your heart desires, but when it comes to people, and friends…" He shook his head. "I don't know. It just seems like most of the time, all they wanna do is use you."

Dawn looked down at her fork, unsure of what to say. Naturally, she couldn't really relate to his problems, because she didn't come from a family with a ton of money. She hesitated, then ventured, carefully, "I...I hope that some day you can consider _me_ a true friend, Leo."

She wasn't sure why she said it. She still hardly knew this lion, and they'd only spent one day getting to know one another - not even technically a full day. But she felt that he was a good animal, with a good heart, and had compassion on him, even if she couldn't relate to his problems. Maybe she just wanted to offer comforting words...let him know that he wasn't alone in the world.

He looked at her, and smiled. "I already do."

She blinked. "You do?"

"Yeah. I mean I know we just started hanging out, but for some reason I feel like I can tell you things. Things I can't tell anyone else."

She was flattered, but a bit nervous as well. She'd never had a guy say things like this to her before, and it was a little out of her element. "Well, I'm...flattered you feel that way." She returned his smile.

He glanced down, aware that she still wasn't completely at ease yet. He knew that she was the type of girl who probably spent more time at home reading and studying than she did out and about with people. And, maybe her financial situation was partly the cause. She wasn't like him that she could just go out and treat friends to a smoothie, or to pizza. He wondered, too, if maybe she was ashamed of her inability to treat friends whenever she wanted...maybe she avoided going out for that reason.

He shifted a bit uneasily as he searched for something to say. Then an idea struck him. "Hey, when we're done here, do you wanna go to Fountain Square?"

"Sure, that sounds nice."

"Do you ever go there?"

"Sometimes, but not too often." She looked down sheepishly, "I went there to study a few times, but gave that up, because it's too noisy."

He chuckled. Then, feeling like it was safe to ask more personal questions, "Do you ever hang out with anyone?"

"Sure I do. I just don't have a ton of friends...but the few I do have are one in a million."

"They must be, if they're friends of yours."

She regarded him silently, then smiled.

He grew a little uncomfortable under her gaze, and said, "Well, should we head to the square?"

She nodded, and they headed out.

XXX

Fountain Square was only a few blocks away from Paulie's Pantry. It was a popular hangout, especially for high school and college students during weekdays. It was comprised of four fountains at each corner of the square, and in its exact middle was a lovely statue at the center of the main fountain. It was carved in the image of a lion and a stag in ancient garments, both figures holding up a large basin from which the water poured forth.

Children played by the fountain's edge, aiming pennies at the basin above their heads.

"Wanna sit down?" Leodore asked.

"Sure," she said with a smile.

They aimed for a bench partly shaded by a tree, and sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere.

"I forgot how nice this place is. I haven't been here in a while." Dawn smoothed her hooves over her white skirt.

He opened his mouth, but found himself at a loss for words. He supposed nothing really need be said. Just being with her made him happy.

More than once during their outing, he found himself checking the questions he was asking her. He didn't want to get too personal on their first date, but neither did he want her to think he was disinterested. She was a meek girl, and he was aware of the fact that she wasn't like any girl he'd dated before. Not that he'd dated many. Sure, he was a senior in high school, and had had loads of girls interested in him - and certainly he'd dated _some_. But he was no Catsanova.

She was different. She had above average smarts, was immensely sweet, adorably quirky. She seemed _real_ , genuine and unpretentious.

And still there was something about her - something he could neither put a finger on nor put into words - that drew him to her.

He glanced at her, admired the way her fleece shone in the sun, the way her lavender blouse matched her pale wool. He'd never seen anything sweeter in his entire life.

Almost without thinking, his paw moved to touch her hoof - but he caught himself and drew it back just as she looked to him.

"It's been a wonderful day, Leo. Thanks so much for asking me out."

He let out a slight breath he didn't even know he'd been holding, and returned her smile. "Thanks for letting me take you out. I've been having a great day, too."

She looked so happy to be there, and turned her gaze back to the fountain, the playing children and passers-by.

His eyes lingered on her for a second, then turned wistfully to her hooves gently clasped together.

Maybe it _was_ too soon to try holding her hand, but he vowed to try next time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Leodore had dropped Dawn off as the sun began moving further west. It was five o'clock, but to them the day had flown by.

"I hope your parents don't mind you having been gone for so long," he said.

"Oh, not at all," she waved a hoof. "They'll know I had a good time, and I usually have Saturdays free anyway." She smiled, and there was a brief silence. Then she said, "Thank you for such a wonderful day, Leo. I had a really nice time."

"So did I." He returned her smile with one of his own. He was still a little nervous around her, but in the most incredible way. They'd only spent five hours together, and yet it was the best five hours he'd ever spent in his life. Being around her was different - he had felt no need to impress, no need to be on his guard. She was the first person he'd spent any time around in a long while without wondering whether she was with him for his money or not.

Usually whenever he'd dated other girls, they'd begged him to take them to fancy restaurants, or drag him to expensive clothing stores and claim that they'd left their wallet at home and would he please pretty please buy this blouse...He was tired of it. It'd taken him a good handful of these sort of outings before he was finally willing to acknowledge that most girls were more interested in his wealth than in him. To be sure, they thought he was a nice guy, and cute - but they seemed to think he was nothing more than a walking ATM machine.

There had only been two girls he'd dated that didn't seem completely fixated on what he could treat them to, and they didn't end up being his type. There was little to hold his interest, and those encounters soon died out.

He thought of his father, and found it painfully ironic that he thought he should restrict his dating to that of "rich folk." What his father didn't seem to realize was that all the rich girls - or even just girls who were well-off - still only cared about money, luxury, and comfort. It was true that Leodore appreciated luxury as well, having grown up in its lap - but he wanted more than what money could buy. He wanted someone to like him for who he was. So much of what money was able to buy only succeeded in leaving him feeling empty. There was happiness, to be sure, but it wasn't lasting.

Dawn was the first girl he'd ever spent time with who seemed to appreciate the small joys life had to offer - who could actually be content just sitting and watching a fountain, or children playing, or people watching. She'd never demanded he pay for anything for her, never once brought up money matters, or had insisted they browse a clothing store. She'd been legitimately interested in getting to know _him_.

He found himself sad to see her go, but nevertheless wished her well and thanked her once more for allowing him to take her out.

The little sheep waved goodbye as she clutched her purse and trotted up to her house. He left only when she disappeared behind the door.

XXX

Dawn was in a cheerful mood as she sat at the kitchen table and told her parents about her day.

"It was wonderful - he was a real gentleman. He even paid for my lunch," she gave a small smile as she stirred a cup of tea.

"I'm glad to hear it," Abigail said. "Do you think he'll ask you out again?"

"I don't know...seems like he had as nice a time as I did. Maybe he will."

"So do you like him?" John asked. He had a small screwdriver in his hoof, trying to fix a broken wrist watch. Tinkering with gadgets was one of his favorite hobbies.

"Yeah, I do. I mean, I...I hardly know him...but he seems like a really nice guy."

"Glad to hear it." He set the watch down and regarded his daughter with tenderness, though there was subtle melancholy in his voice. "I'm happy my girl had a good time. Just remember that no matter who sweeps you off your feet, you'll always be my little lamb."

"Oh daddy," she said. "It's not like I'm gonna marry this guy, it was just one little date."

"Well, that's how it all starts."

She slid out of her chair and walked over to her father, enveloping him in a loving embrace. "I'll always be your lamb, daddy."

"Well, I think it's all very exciting," Abigail said. "I'm happy you're finally going out with someone, Dawn. It's healthy to get out sometimes. Books and studying are great, but it's greater still not to miss out on friends and relationships - provided they're supportive and healthy, of course."

"I get out plenty, mom," she insisted. "Remember April and I went to the library last week?"

John chuckled. "I think your mom was thinking more in terms of spending time outside."

"There'll always be time for that, but I need to keep focusing on my schoolwork. I'll be a senior next year, and people are already saying that I'll be voted 'Most Likely To Succeed.'"

Her parents paused in their activity and looked at her. Dawn couldn't pinpoint the heavy emotion that filled their eyes, and for a moment she wondered if she'd said something wrong. But then her mother walked over to her and drew her in a tight hug.

"Dawn, you have no idea how proud your father and I are of you." She drew back after a moment, and Dawn was surprised to see tears threatening to spill from her mother's eyes.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, sweetheart - nothing's wrong at all. Just the opposite; your father and I are so happy for you." She gently smoothed her daughter's fleece. "You've worked so hard. You're so smart, and diligent, and steadfast. You're going to do great in life, just you watch."

"That's right," John said. "We've always wanted you to have a better life than we did, dear. Heaven knows we've done our best to make ends meet, and it's true we're not as badly off as some. But your mother and I have watched our girl grow into such a clever, hard-working, talented young woman. We have high hopes for you."

She smiled. "Thank you, daddy. I promise you two I'll keep working hard, and make something of myself."

"Oh, baby," Abigail dabbed at her eyes. "You already have."

XXX

Later that evening found Dawn hard at work up in her room. Her biology class had a test coming up on Monday and she wasn't taking any chances. She'd hit the books as soon as she finished dinner. She didn't know that her parents were downstairs talking about her and Leodore.

"Do you think she really likes him, though?" Abigail asked her husband.

"It's her first date, Abi. Worst come to worse, she might end up infatuated with him…"

She set the last dish in the dishwasher, then started it and joined him on the couch. "You don't think anything serious will come of it…?"

"I'd be surprised...how many animals end up staying with their first date?"

She made a soft sound, and leaned her head in her hoof. John had flipped the television on, but kept the volume low so as not to brush off their conversation.

After a few minutes, she said, "...What about him being a predator?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but words failed him. Instead he shrugged and let out an uneasy sigh. "I had my reservations...nothing against predators, personally, but those kind of relationships rarely ever work out. I didn't want to dissuade her, though. It's her first date, and she was so excited...and like I said, it's unlikely that she'll end up with him." He looked at his wife. "It'll blow off eventually, dear. I don't think there's any need for us to intervene."

"Well, I hope you're right...I know it's about time she started mingling, but I never thought she would date a _lion_."

He made a thoughtful noise.

The soft gabble from the TV filled the room. A small kitchen light had been left on, and between it and the glow of the TV, the room was lit with a soft, calming ambiance. The grandfather clock chimed nine.

Abigail leaned on her husband's shoulder.

"Darling…"

"Hm?"

"What do you think'll happen if they don't part ways eventually?"

He chuckled. "Don't worry about that, Abi, dear."

She thought this over, then finally relaxed in her husband's arm. It was past ten when they shut off the television and headed to bed. They bid Dawn goodnight and encouraged her to get a restful night's sleep. She'd nodded and assured them that she would, but the young sheep eventually fell asleep on the open textbook at her desk.

XXX

Monday morning started out as average as any school day.

Dawn headed into her second period biology class with graceful confidence. She felt good about the upcoming test - after all, she'd studied nearly all weekend for it. Thoughts of Leodore came up a few times, but other than that she was able to keep her focus on her schoolwork.

Her hard work seemed to pay off, too - for she felt confident as she answered the questions on the test, and was the first to turn it in. Her biology teacher, Mrs. Sanders the sambhur, gave her a surreptitious smile. Dawn usually turned her tests in fast, and Mrs. Sanders was among those who rooted for the little sheep.

As Dawn turned to head back to her desk, she casually glanced around the room. She gave a barely-perceptible flinch when she saw that Alex was staring at her, none too kindly. Alex was a coyote who only shared biology with her. He was a senior - surly, withdrawn, and rather tall for his species. She didn't know anything about him, had never spoken to him before, but had seen him a couple of times in the cafeteria and hanging out in the halls, or on school grounds with a friend.

She quickly checked herself and proceeded to her seat as if she hadn't noticed him glaring at her. She shrugged it off as typical "hating on the teacher's pet" behavior, and pulled out a book to read until testing was done.

During lunch that day, she was pleasantly surprised when Leodore caught up to her in the hall.

"Hi Dawn," he greeted amiably.

"Hey," she greeted with a genuine smile of her own. "How are classes coming?"

"Ah, the usual. If not for my friends, I'd be looking forward to getting out of here."

She let out a small, hollow laugh. "Oh, I hear you. I can only imagine the kind of work they'll be piling on me next year."

He shifted and cleared his throat, gripping the strap slung over his shoulder. "I was wondering...would you like to come over to my place for dinner this week?"

She blinked, surprised. "Well...sure, I'd love to! I'll check with my parents, but I'm positive they won't mind."

"Great! How does Wednesday at six sound?"

"Perfect!" She pushed up her specs. She was happy that he'd asked her to dinner at his place, and was torn between feeling thrilled and hesitant. This was more attention she'd received from a guy than she ever had in her life, and as flattered as she was, she wasn't entirely sure how to respond to it.

"I'll see you then. Good luck with your other tests, but I'm sure you won't need it." He waved and then left.

She smiled softly to herself, clutching her books tightly to her chest. With a small sigh of relief, she headed to her locker to stash her books away, then made for the cafeteria.

XXX

"So did you invite that girl over for dinner?" Alastair asked.

They were sitting at the long dining room table. Macy, their chef, bustled in and out of the room bringing appetizers and soup in lieu of the main course.

Leodore suppressed a sigh. "Yes, dad. She's coming over Wednesday at six."

Alastair made a small noise and served himself. Tanya's gaze quietly flitted from husband to son as she sipped her beverage. "I hear that Miss Bellwether is the most accomplished junior in school."

Leodore nodded. "She is. And when I'm gone, she's gonna be the most accomplished _student_ , junior or not."

Alastair gave no reaction, but decided to bring up a question that he'd been wondering ever since he'd heard his son was dating this Bellwether. "What is it about this girl you like so much?"

Leodore was a little taken aback by this question, unaware that his father was even interested as to why he liked Dawn. He thought he would go off on one of his spiels about how Leodore should try dating girls who come from richer families. He started, warily, "Well, there's a lot of reasons, dad! She's smart, she's kind, and she's not pretentious...and she doesn't treat me like all I'm good for is showering her with gifts. I like her because she's actually interested in _me_." He felt some of his pent-up frustrations coming loose. "I mean, don't you think it's ironic that you want me to date rich girls when all they've ever been interested in is _money_?"

He didn't notice his mother glancing worriedly at her husband. He went on, "Dawn is the first girl I've ever dated who seems to treat me like a person. She's different! She's… _wonderful_. She's brilliant, and kind-hearted, and beautiful." He took on a softer tone at the thought of her, but his anger returned as quickly as it had fled, and it was all he could do to keep from raising his voice at the table. " _Why_ , dad?"

Silence from his parents, and he continued. " _Why_ so much pressure about what kind of girl I date? _Why_ does money have to be the most important thing?"

Again the silence ensued, but this time his father removed his napkin, set it on the table, and fixed his son with an unusual expression. The awkward moment was nearly interrupted by Macy, who paused and abruptly left the room when Alastair shot her a glance. Nothing was said for a while, and Leodore thought his father was going to give him the lecture of a lifetime. But instead, Alastair moved his jaw and said something that made Leodore's train of thought stop in its tracks.

"It's not her lack of money, son."

He froze, and his shoulders tensed. He didn't take his eyes from his father, didn't question what he meant by what he said, for he knew. But he didn't want to believe it.

Something deep inside him knew that this would come up eventually. It was as inevitable as the rising of the sun. But it had been matched by Leodore's desire to know the girl, and inevitability or not, he would try as hard as he could to keep this spark alive. He wasn't entirely sure of her feelings toward him, but he knew his feelings toward her - even if the majority of the time he'd spent with her consisted of admiring her from afar. He knew now that he would have to make a choice between being with her or pleasing his father. It would be easy to end his association with her, if not for the fact that he felt so strongly about her, so deeply in _like_ , that in youthful determination he felt he would rather disappoint his father.

He feigned ignorance. He wanted to oppose his father's beliefs by showing him that not all animals were prejudiced, and so he said, "What do you mean?" It was more a statement than a question.

Alastair's frown deepened. "Son, the girl is a _sheep!"_

Leodore was surprised at how hurtful those words were. He knew where this was headed, and still his stubbornness held on - he refused to back down. "I _know_ she's a sheep, dad! What's wrong with her being a sheep?"

Alastair's shoulders rose slightly, but Tanya said, "Your father is just worried that things might be difficult for you and her, Leo. Relationships are complicated under the best of circumstances, but interspecies relationships _rarely_ work out."

Feeling cornered, he said, "That's because no one ever bothers to _try_ making it work!"

"Son," she interjected, "some things don't change."

"But some things _do_ change!" He looked back and forth between his parents, knowing he wasn't getting through to them. He lifted his arms in defeat. "So what am I supposed to tell Dawn? That she can't come Wednesday because she's not _welcome?"_

"Of course she can come, Leo," Tanya said before her husband could reply. "Just...please try and remember what your father and I are getting at, here. You two may like each other, but life just isn't that simple."

He removed his napkin from his lap and slammed it onto the table. "I'm not asking for things to be simple." The chair scraped loudly against the floor as he stood up. "I'm only asking you two to give her a chance." And with that, he left the room.

XXX

Leodore had texted Dawn on and off until Wednesday arrived.

They hadn't spoken too much, as both were busy with schoolwork and other activities Leodore was the captain of the school's soccer team, so between that and keeping his grades perfect, he was rather busy. Dawn was part of a few after-school clubs herself. She was part of the debate team and also thoroughly enjoyed the book club. She had little to no interest in sports of any kind.

She told her parents about being invited to Leodore's place for dinner on Wednesday. While they seemed genuinely happy for her, she couldn't help feeling like they were holding something back, and come Wednesday morning, she decided to confront her parents about it.

"Can I ask you two a question?" she said over breakfast.

"Of course," Abigail said, pouring herself some coffee.

"...Do you...I mean...do you two have a problem with me spending time with Leo?"

Her parents exchanged glances.

"No, dear," Abigail finally said. "We don't have a problem with you spending time with him. It's just that…" She gestured for the right words. She knew how smart her daughter was, and that it would be no good pretending like they were completely ok with her association with him. She tried choosing her words carefully. "Leodore is a fine young man, and seems to have good morals. It's just that…"

"Sweetheart," John gently intervened, "we just hope you understand how difficult the differences between you and him might make things. We know he's only the first guy you've ever gone out with, but keep it in mind nonetheless."

Dawn blinked, then nodded her head. "Alright...I…" she fumbled over her words. "I think I can see where you guys are coming from, but...like you said, dad, he's the first guy I've ever dated. I mean, I like him, but we hardly know each other!"

Abigail let out a small sigh of relief; she hadn't been sure how her daughter was going to take this. "Well that's alright, sweetie. I'm glad you're not rushing into this. And besides, you two can always be friends."

Dawn wasn't sure how to respond to that. To be sure, she didn't have any deep feelings for Leo, and she wasn't sure that she ever would...but it sounded like her parents were forbidding her from allowing her feelings for Leodore to grow.

 _You two can always be friends.  
_ That was all fine and well, but what should happen if her feelings toward him _did_ grow?

She let out a small sigh herself, and vowed not to think about it. She'd only dated the guy once; it was premature to be thinking further along the line. Besides, maybe her feelings for him wouldn't grow past friendship, thus lifting a possible future burden from her shoulders. As to how he felt about her, well...she knew that he liked her. He'd said so himself, that he'd been trying to muster up enough courage to ask her out for some time.

"She's in another trance," John lovingly joked, sipping some coffee.

Dawn snapped out of her daydream, and scooted forward in her chair.

"Don't worry about it, darling," Abigail said. "No matter what happens between you and Leodore, your life is going to be wonderful, and filled with promise. And you know, if things between you and him don't work out, maybe you'll meet a nice young ram."

Dawn couldn't help but giggle. "Mom, I'm not even a senior in high school yet."

"I'm teasing, dear."

John glanced at the clock. "You said he'd be picking you up at six?"

"Yes."

"Pretty exciting."

"Oh, Dawn, we forgot to mention to you…" Abigail set down the newspaper. "Your father's been asked to work overtime this Friday, so we won't be able to do game night."

Game night was something the Bellwether's participated in every Friday night. It was something they'd been doing for years, since Dawn was a little girl. Every Friday evening they'd get together and play a board game - no television, no phone calls, just good quality family time. John had always specifically asked for Friday nights off, and had always managed to work around it.

Dawn loved Friday evenings, because she felt she never had enough time to spend with her father. Her mother's schedule was less constrained, but it seemed like her father was always being taken advantage of. His kindly disposition and willingness to help others didn't help with that, even though Dawn knew that her father was a good man, and did the right thing. But he sometimes had to sacrifice family time for it.

She remembered one such time when she, her mother, and father had been so absorbed in a game of Mousopoly that they'd stayed up late trying to beat each other at it. Before any of them knew it, it was well past bedtime; they'd been having so much fun. Dawn cherished the memory with all her heart, and wished that they could have more moments like that.

She was surprised when she heard that her father was going to have to work overtime, on Friday of all days.

"But dad _always_ gets Friday off! Why are they asking him to work overtime _now?_ "

"Mr. Fangley can't cover the shift Friday. He asked me to do it, and I said I would. I'm sorry, dear. I'll make it up to you next Friday, alright?"

Her shoulders sank. "This is the first time in years that you've had to work on a Friday...at least during the evening!"

"One of the sad facts of life, my lamb. We can't always have things our way." He gave a wan smile. "Don't be sad, sweetie. I said I'd make it up to you, alright?"

She sighed, but nodded her head. "Alright…"

The day had gone by, and before Dawn knew it, six o'clock was approaching.

She'd been fumbling through her closet, trying to find the best outfit she had. After all, Leodore and his parents were wealthy; she wanted to make a good impression.

Abigail walked in at one point, amused to see a jumble of clothes piled on her daughter's bed. "Having a little fashion trouble?"

"Oh I can't find anything to wear, mom," Dawn moaned. "Nothing seems good enough."

"Dawn," she said, "just wear whatever you have that's best. I know the Lionheart's are prestigious, but that doesn't make you less than them. It just means they have more money." She came and sat on her bed. "Money doesn't make an animal better, baby. It's who you are that defines you." She looked at the pile of clothes and went through them. "What about this one?" She held up a pale blue dress with transparent sleeves. It had a soft, shiny floral print in an even paler blue, and came down to the knees.

"Well…" Dawn studied the dress, and finally consented. "Alright. Thanks, mom." She dashed out of the room to get ready.  
After a while, when Dawn emerged from her room and went downstairs, her parents stopped in their tracks.

"Oh, _Dawn_ ," Abigail breathed.

"Is that my little girl?" John said. "My _gosh_ , when she get so grown up?"

Abigail approached her daughter and took her by the hoof. "Sweetheart, you look _beautiful_."

"Our girl has always been beautiful. Tonight, you look like a princess."

Dawn bowed her head shyly. "Thanks." She smoothed her dress, embarrassed by the compliments. "Well, he'll be here any minute. I better grab my purse."

When Leodore pulled up to the house, her heart beat fast and she scurried over to the door to let him in.

"Hi, Dawn," he said, then looked her up and down. "Wow, you look beautiful…"

"Thank you," she said. "You look nice, too."

Her parents greeted him at the door as well.

"You look very handsome, Leodore," Abigail said.

"Thank you Mrs. Bellwether." Then he added, "It's really an honor to be able to have your daughter over for dinner."

"We trust that you'll take good care of her," John said.

"Oh he will, daddy," she said, then waved. "I won't be gone too long, alright? See you guys later."

They said their farewells, and Dawn and Leodore were off to his place.


End file.
